The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-02-26
ALDANA'S WIDOW.
How She Saved Her House from
Robbery.

"Mamacita," cried Blasa ALBANIA,
contingencies the patio with old Dolores,
her sometimes nurse and present maid,
shutting at her heels; ''mamacita! The
Saenz were robbed last night. The
door of the SalG was broken in and the
house mnsacked. Lupe's pearls are
gone, with all the silver cups, and
spoons, and ladies, and Julio's chGrr0
suit that cost three hundred dollars,
and, Oh! lot of money Don Lauro had
in his chest"
Cleofas Mora, widow of Aldana,
shook her head in silent comment. She
had heard all too much in the last few
weeks Of the depredatiOns committed
by the lawlcss gentry who had just be-
gun to work their way up to chihuahua
from the States below.
And, mamma said Blasita, "Lupe
Saenz says that Lorenzo Garcia has
been wal king past her window every
night this week, and she is quite sure
he cares more for her than for Angus
tina"
"ChiSmes" then answered Cleofas
Mora, why do you retail gossip?
Have not heart and hands full al
ready, that you should come babbling
of Guadalupe Saenz and her firtationsi
thank the saints that my Agustina is
prudent child, who does not take up
with every young blade that appears
on the Alameda. Who is this Lorenzo
Garcia?-whence comes he?-to whom
does he bring letters? In my young
days We knew who man might be be-
fore we owned he watched under oul
windows. A pretty pass we are com
ing to, with the free and easy manner!
the American women have brOugh
among us"
Now, truth to tell, DOna Cleofas was
on an average, little of a scold; but to
day she was sore distraught. She wa
the fortunate possessor of means, mod
crate enough to be sure, but still ade
quate for her needs; and she and her
were gifted with sound minds anC
bodies. But at the present momen
she was much exercised in spirit, ant
ovey tire very two matters on whicl
Blasita had touched so glibly. Their
was no doubt that Lorenzo Garcia hat
been making tentative advances towar
the house of Aldana. And there wa
equal certainty that Agustina wa
rather kindly disposed to hearken t
the voice of the charmer, coyly as YET
it was true, and not to a Compromising
degree; but Dona Cleofas foresaw
lively contest for the day whe
the girl should definitely decide 70
her quasi admirer, for Augustine wa
endowed with some tenacity of pun
pose. Lorenzo Garcia was a strange
in Chihuahua, for whom none coul
vouch, and, for all his handsome eye
and suave address, DOna Cleofas ha
no notion of passing over to his cOntrC
One-third of the snug little sum she ha
laid by as dowry for her daughter
Now, too, Dona CleOfas had anothC
source of disturbance, which she woul
by no means impart to her household
composed exclusively of women rs
was. In the silent hours of the pr,
ceding night, she had heard clearl
and Enthusiastically the sound of fe,
moving cautiously in the little court
her, domicile, and her big watch-do
PJWf had been found stiff and dea
''Ishat morning, although none save he
self had thought of the cause she col
fidently assigned for his demise. S
far as appeared, there was no prote
ton 70 be had. The Aldana aboC
was rather isolated, and the very p
culiarities of architectural form whiC
render Mexican house almost like
fortress to outside attack, virtually CT
off communication with and assistan,
from the outside world, once the f,
has gained foothold within the gate
In those days, the police force of CT
huahua, now admirably organize
was Insignificant both as to numeric
strength and effectiveness. The
Dona Clcofas, imbued with the spin
Of womau's subjugation and soci
passivity Of her race and day, felt til